10 movies that will inspire you to travel the world
Almost everyone loves watching a movie. As well as travelling. If you love them both, this list is for you. Let’s see our TOP 10 inspiring travel movies.
written by: Reka Paulikovics
1. The way (2010)
Tom’s son lost his life in a storm in the Pyrenees on the Camino de Santiago, also known as the Pilgrimage of St James. The Californian doctor travels to St Jean Pied de Port in France to collect his son’s remains and to take care of formalities. But instead of returning home, he decides to fulfil his son’s wish and make the pilgrimage. Tom realises that he is not alone in his journey. He meets pilgrims from all over the world who are searching for answers to their own problems, for meaning in their lives, and perhaps in the process, to discover that they are never alone. Emilio Estevez’s direction and Martin Sheen’s starring role make a good pair, and the son really did write the role for his father. Interestingly, the three supporting characters, Joost, Sarah and Jack, symbolised the cowardly lion, the tin man and the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz.
2. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Everyone has dreams… And they often come true. Especially when things don’t go the way you want them to, it’s often fantasying that helps. Walter Mitty lives in a different world in his mind, he has his own imaginary movie, and he’s the main character of it. But one day the dream becomes reality and the real adventure begins. The reporter, played by Ben Stiller, follows the trail of a lost film negative, as his life is turned upside down. Interestingly, this is the second film adaptation of the story, the original short story having appeared in the New York Times in 1939. If you’re looking for a truly loving movie, this is definitely a good choice, it’s the kind of movie that I don’t think anyone could hate. It’s adventurous, spectacular, has a good atmosphere and last but not least it’s educational.
3. Into the wild (2007)
The story is based on a true story, about Christopher McCandless who sets off for America with a backpack. A 22-year-old young man, with a recent degree, chooses the unknown rather than a safe career. What happens to him on this journey has become an eternal symbol and inspiration for countless people. The boy’s journey has taken him from the wheat fields of South Dakota, across the Colorado River and a Californian colony, to the dangerous wilderness of Alaska. Not once during the filming were stuntmen used in any of Emile Hirsch’s (the main character) scenes: not in the rock climbing, not in the bear attack, not in the river crossing, and interestingly, Jim Gallien, the Alaskan man who gave Chris the rubber boots, plays himself in the film. During his journey, McCandless met people who had a decisive influence on his thinking and whose lives he changed. This movie is inspiring, thought-provoking and oozes courage.
4. Out of Africa (1985)
Karen, from a noble family, marries her cousin, Baron Blixen, out of duty. The couple move to Africa, to his plantation in Kenya. Their happiness is short-lived, as the Baron, who leads a dissolute life, soon contracts syphilis and leaves his wife. Karen decides to stay in Africa and try to revive the farm. Meanwhile, she falls in love with Denys Fintsch Hatton, the restless adventurer. But their love is short-lived when he crashes his plane. And the coffee plantation goes bust… Classic and unmissable. Romantic and thought-provoking. And the starring couple of Meryl Streep and Robert Redford is wonderful. Interestingly, much of the film was shot in Africa, but local rules forbade the use of wild animals, so trained animals were brought in from California.
5. Eat, pray, love (2010)
Of course, this cult film also made it on the list, but if you like to read, this book should be on your shelf also. The main character (Julia Roberts) Liz has everything a woman could ever dream of: a husband, a house, a successful writing career, yet she’s unhappy. She wants something else, but she’s not sure what it is. She moves away, gets a divorce, starts an affair with a much younger actor, David, but that doesn’t really satisfy her either. She feels she needs a change of scenery, so she takes a trip around the world. She discovers the joys of life in Italy, nurtures her mind and soul in India, and she finds her inner balance in Bali. Love comes, too, when she meets Felipe, the bohemian Brazilian. It’s worth watching for the story and the visuals, as it fully recreates the atmosphere of different cultures. The story is timeless, as there have always been, are and will always way seekers.
6. Seven years in Tibet (1997)
A re-watchable film, based on real events. Tibet is one of the most peaceful places in the world, in a beautiful countryside. The story is set in the last years of the country’s independence and, last but not least, we get to see Tibet not from the perspective not of its own people, but from the perspective of Europeans. In 1939, the day before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer (who wrote the book) set out to climb Nanga Parbat, one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, unaware that he was entering a mysterious world. In the holy capital of Tibet, he was welcomed as a stranger and even invited to become a teacher to the then fourteen-year-old Dalai Lama: he was asked to teach him English, geography and the ways of the Western world. Not only the boy’s life, but also the life of the mountaineer, changes radically during their time together. A must-have for Brad Pitt fans!
7. Long way round (2004)
A British documentary series, which has also been published as a book, also makes it on the list. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman grab the world by the scruff of the neck and set off on a motorbike journey of over 30,000 kilometres from London to New York, from east through Asia and Alaska. The journey started on 14 April 2004 and ended on 29 July. The two actors were also accompanied by cameraman Claudio von Plata on their motorbikes, two producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin on their SUVs, and another cameraman, James Simak, who was also responsible for the series’ music. The two actors drew inspiration from Ted Simon’s Jupiter’s Travels and met the author during the journey in Mongolia. Three years later, McGregor and Boorman motored from Scotland to Cape Town, which led to another series and a book, The Long Way Down. The series is an insight into the daily lives of the two travelers, intimate and honest, a true video diary of how one copes with adversity, with the partner and with oneself.
8. The Terminal (2008)
Not really a travelogue, but it definitely has its place on the list. When we travel, our first stop is the airport, but often we just rush and don’t really look around. Viktor Navorski is forced to take a closer look at the terminal: he is landing in New York from Eastern Europe when a coup d’état unfolds in his country. The traveller suddenly finds himself at the gateway to America, John F. Kennedy Airport, but his passport is from a country that doesn’t exist anymore, so he finds himself stranded at the airport. Navorski settles in to wait until the war is over, but the wait is much longer than he expects. As the weeks and months pass, Viktor discovers that the terminal is a small but complex world. Problem-solving, hopelessness, sadness, small joys, and humour. And last but not least: Tom Hanks is brilliant.
9. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Is this all about tea? No, it isn’t. 😊 There are three brothers who haven’t met since their father died. Francis, the eldest brother, is determined to reunite the family, and he thinks the best way to do this is to take a long, adventurous train journey with Peter and Jack. Their goal is to find their mother, who is living as a nurse at the foot of the Himalayas. The brothers are played by Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody and Jason Schwartzman, and the main motif is of course the development of family relationships, with a good dose of humour thrown in. If you have a brother or sister, you have to check it out!
10. Green Book (2018)
In this story, two men travel across America, but not in the usual way. It’s the sixties, one of the main characters is a coloured piano player, the other is a white, “hit first, talk later” kind of guy. The two men spend two months travelling the states. Their relationship starts out cold, but develop into a real friendship. It’s full of contrasts, yet there are plenty of parallels. In fact, that’s exactly why it’s so likeable: we’re different, yet the same, and we can always learn something from each other.
I if you want to unlock the door to your global odyssey and ensure a smooth transition to your new home, don’t hesitate to engage with our witty and wise travel experts and brokers. They’ll sprinkle your journey with laughter, sprinkle you with insider tips, and make living abroad a truly extraordinary experience.
Did you know?
Is wanderlust a feeling? The definition for wanderlust is a simple one: A strong desire to travel. But the word encompasses so much more; when we travel we are victims of the unknown, we are students of a foreign world. If you dream of backpacking through Europe and then taking a quick spin through Southeast Asia, you have wanderlust. The Germans call the strong urge for travel wanderlust, literally a desire for wandering.
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